SOUTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR ONCE AGAIN ACCUSED OF PLAYING POLITICS WITH “ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT”
Three years ago we ran an exclusive report on allegations that S.C. governor Nikki Haley‘s “economic development” agency was trying to steer a potential crony capitalist firm from one county to another in order to provide political fodder for her reelection bid.
Specifically, Haley’s administration reportedly wanted the company – Element Electronics – to locate in Fairfield county as opposed to Sumter county so that Haley could claim on the campaign trail that she had created jobs “in all 46 counties.”
First of all, Haley isn’t “creating jobs” with these announcements – she’s bribing companies with your money.
How has that strategy worked out for the Palmetto State? Eh …
Anyway, Haley is once again under fire for allegedly playing politics with government-subsidized “job creation” efforts.
According to Florence county councilman James Schofield, Haley’s Department of Commerce has not given Florence a “fair shake with new industry” because of Haley’s disdain for powerful S.C. Senate president Hugh Leatherman.
Schofield made his comments days ahead of an election in which Leatherman was targeted for defeat by Haley.
How’d that political calculation work out for the governor? Not well …
The fiscally liberal “former” Democrat trounced his Haley-backed “Republican” rival. Not only that, he has vowed political retribution against the governor in the wake of her well-funded efforts to oust him.
If Schofield’s allegation about Commerce steering projects away from Florence is true, then the notoriously corrupt Leatherman could actually find himself seizing some moral high ground in his ongoing war with Haley.
To be clear: Schofield did not provide specific examples in leveling his charge against Haley. However several sources familiar with his remarks – which were made on former S.C. lieutenant governor Ken Ard‘s radio program – say there are “multiple instances” in which they believe Commerce has injected itself into economic development negotiations against Florence and on behalf of other Palmetto State counties.
Stay tuned … much more to come on this story …